Introduction to tenses in English
It is very important for all English Learners to master the tenses in English so that they are able to speak and write with confidence by using correct grammar. Tenses are used every time we speak and write so understanding each tense in detail is no exception. In this lesson, we are going to explore all present tenses in English by looking at the uses, forms and examples. Here are the 4 Present tenses that will be covered in this post.
- Present Simple Tense
- Present Continuous Tense
- Present Perfect Tense
- Present Perfect Continuous Tense
Present Simple Tense
Present Simple is one of the frequently used tenses in English it is basically used to describe habits or routines, facts or general truths and schedules or time tables. See the following examples for each use with explanation.
Usage 1 : Habits or Routines ទម្លាប់ ឬសកម្មភាពដែលយើងធ្វើជាប្រចាំ
Example : When I get up in the morning, I normally make my bed, go to the bathroom, take a shower, put on my school uniform and go to school.
Explanation : In the situation above, we can literally see that all the actions are relating to routines which means that the speaker does those activities not only one day but over and over again.
Usage 2 : Facts and General Truths ការពិត និងការទូរទៅ
Example : The sun rises in the east and sets in the west. Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius and freezes at 0 degree Celsius. I am a student and my dad is a teacher. Fish live in the eater.
Explanation : The second main usage of the present simple is to talk about facts or general truths which basically refers something that is always true. True in the past, true in the present and true in the future.
Usage 3 : Schedules or time table អ្វីដែលជាកាលវិភាគ
Example : My flight departs at 10 tonight. The movie we want to watch starts at 2 tomorrow afternoon.
Explanation : From the two examples above, we can see that present simple can also used to talk about future events but in case we are talking about the schedules at particular place.
Present Simple forms
Positive 1 : [ Sub (I, you, we, they ) + base verb or V1. ]
- They usually hang out on the weekend.
Positive 2 : [ Sub ( he, she, it) + V-s,-es,-es ]
- My mom waters the plants every morning.
Rule 1 : Add -es : when the verb ends in -ss,-sh,-ch,-x -o
Rule 2 : Add -ies :When the verb ends in a consonant + y, change y to ies ( I study but he studies.)
Rule 3: Add - s : When the verb doesn't follow rule 1 and rule 2
Negative : [ Sub + doesn't / don't + base verb.]
- I don't play soccer.
- She doesn't eat meat.
Yes/No : [ Do/does + sub + base verb.....?]
- Do you speak Khmer?
- Does he play any sports?
Wh-Question : [ Wh-word + do/does + sub + base verb?]
- What do you like to do in your free time?
- Where does she work?
Present Continuous Tense / Present Progressive Tense
Present Continuous can also be called Present Progressive Tense. It has 4 main usages and it is basically formed by using verb to be ( am, is, are + Ving).
Usage 1 : Present progressive is used to talk about action that is happening at the time of speaking. Here are some commonly used time expressions used with present continuous tense : now, right now, at the moment. See some examples below. និយាយអំពីសកម្មភាពដែលកំពុងកើតឡើងខណៈពេលដែលយើងកំពុងនិយាយ។
Example : What is going on in the classroom now? The teacher is teaching. Students are studying.
Explanation : From the example above we can see that the action of teaching and studying are happening now.
Usage 2 : Present Continuous or Progressive can also be used to talk about plans that have already been made. So the plans are clear. Future time expressions are recommended to avoid confusion with the action that is happening at the time of speaking. Here are some of the future time expressions. និយាយអំពីគម្រោងការដែលបានគិតទុកជាមុន។
- Next ( next week, next month, next year)
- This weekend
- Tomorrow
- Tonight
Example 1 : Roza is visiting her hometown this weekend.
Explanation : ROZA planned her visit to her hometown already before she said it. She decided what time to go, how many days to say, and when to come back. She is very sure about her plan.
Usage 3 : Present Continuous can also be used to describe a temporary action. It simply means that we started the action in the past and we are in the process of doing it and will finish it some time in the future. និយាអំពីសកម្មភាពដែលធ្វើមួយរយៈពេល (បណ្តោះអាសន្ន) ។ យើងបានចាប់ផ្តើមសកម្មភាពហើយក្នុងអតីតកាល បច្ចុប្បន្នកំពុងដំណើរការវា ហើយនិងបញ្ចប់វាក្នុងពេលណាមួយក្នុងពេលអនាគត់។
Example : They are working on an important project this month.
They already started the project some time in the past and they are in the process of completing the project and they will finish it probably be the end of this month.
Usage 4 : Annoying habits សកម្មភាពដែលរំខាន
When we want to describe an action that is done by someone and it is annoying then we can use Present continuous tense with adverbs of frequency : always, usually, often. See the example below.
Example: My little brother is always taking my stuff. Some of my classmates are always talking loudly in the class.
Explanation : In the first example, the action of taking my stuff done by my brother is annoying to me. He doesn't just take it once but many times until I feel annoyed with that. It is the same to the second example. The action of talking loudly in the class is annoying to me and other classmates.
Form of Present Continuous Tense
Positive : [ Sub + am/is/are + V-ing.]
Note
- I - am
- You, we, they - are
- He, she, it - is
Example
- People are travelling on the streets.
- You are reading this this post right now.
- My mom is watering the plants at the moment.
- Students are studying and the teachers are teaching.
Negative : [ Sub + am/is/are + not + Ving.]
Example
- You are not watching TV right now.
- My classmates are not sleeping at the moment.
- People on the streets are not sitting.
- My mom is not feeding the fish now.
Yes/No : [ Am/is/are + Sub + Ving?]
Example
- Are you reading this lesson at the moment. ( Yes, I am. Or No, I'm not.)
- Are they people on the streets travelling now. Yes, they are.
- Is you mom eating breakfast? No, she isn't.
Wh-Question : [ Wh-word + am/is/are + sub + Ving? ]
- What are you doing right now?
- Who is she talking to?
- Where are they playing soccer at the moment?
- Which car are you buying next month?
Present Perfect Tense
Present Perfect Tense
Present Perfect Tense can sometimes be very confusing with present simple and past simple specifically to English learners at the beginner level but now let's have a look at 3 simple usages of the present perfect tense with examples and forms.
Usage 1 : Present Perfect tense is used to talk about something that happened and finished at unknown past and shows the result in the present. ប្រើដើម្បីនិយាយអំពី សកម្មភាពដែលបានកើតឡើង ហើយចប់ទៅវិញក្នុងក្នុងអតីតកាលមិនជាក់លាក់ ហើយវាបង្ហាញលទ្ធផល ក្នងពេលបច្ចុប្បន្ន។
Example : ROZA has watered the plants already.
From the example above it is not important when ROZA watered the plants. What we focus on is the present result. If we go and check the plants now are still wet and fresh.
xperiences
Unfinished time
Recent actions
Actions with present results
Formula
Positive
Subject + have/has + past participle
Negative
Subject + have/has + not + past participle
Question
Have/Has + subject + past participle?
Examples
I have finished my homework.
She has visited Japan.
They have lived here for five years.
We have already eaten lunch.
He has just arrived.
Common Time Expressions
already
yet
just
ever
never
since
for
recently
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